Blood Red
by areyouwhoyouwannabe
Summary: Ellie Jennings is forced to leave Hogwarts attend Durmstrang. Here, she must learn the true order of the wizarding society as her previously undiscovered talent leads her to the Dark Lord. PG-13 to be safe. Not a Mary-Sue fic.
1. Default Chapter

A/N: This fic is just for my own enjoyment. CC if you feel the need but please don't be too picky. I know this is kind of cliche but you are welcome to read it.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything that J.K. Rowling does.

His mouth covered hers. They kissed softly. Suddenly she pulled away. I can't do this, she thought, Father would kill me.

"Why did you stop?" Liam's eyes locked with hers. "Come on, Ellie, you can tell me."

Ellie looked down. "I have to...ummm...finish my Transfiguration homework or McGonagall will murder me."

Liam lifted her chin up so she was looking straight at him again. "No lies."

"Liam, I I don't think we can do this anymore," Ellie finished.

"What do you mean?" his eyes clouded with worry. "What's wrong?"

"My father would kill me if he knew this was happening. No, he would do worse. He wouldn't let us see each other again. You know its true," Ellie wanted to cry.

"So we should stop seeing each other out of our own will?"

"But this way we will still see each other. We can be friends," her voice cracked.

"It's because I'm not pureblood isn't it?" Liam was upset.

"It is but that's not my choice. You don't understand my father. He wouldn't hesitate to take me out of Hogwarts." Ellie looked away. This was the hardest thing she had ever done. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry." With that she ran out of the unused classroom.

The next morning Elodie Jennings sat at the Gryffindor table for breakfast. Her eyes were red and puffy from a sleepless night of crying.

Noelle Parvarti plopped down next to her friend who was staring into her porridge. "So, El, how are things with you and that Liam Diggory, hmmm?" Ellie just turned her head up, her eyes were filled once again with tears.

"Oh, Ellie! What happened?" Back at the dormitory, she spilled everything. "Do you need to see Madam Pomfrey?"

"No," Ellie said determinedly, "I am not going to cry anymore. I did the right thing." Classes that day were hard to get through. The only thought that consoled her was that Holiday break started the next day and she would be far away from Hogwarts. Ellie wandered from class to class in a daze. On her way across the grounds, heading to Care of Magical Creatures an icy hand gripped Ellie's shoulder. She looked up at the boy two years her senior.

"Let go of me, Tim," Ellie ordered, "I have to get to class."

"I think you might want to hear what I have to say, El," Timothy Malfoy was almost exactly like his cousin except that he had a particular obsession with beauty and wanted it no matter what the cost.

"I saw you and Diggory together." Ellie's heart froze.

"What are you getting at, Malfoy? Liam and I are friends," she rationalized.

"The way you two looked last night indicated otherwise." An icy smile spread across Tim's face.

"You have no proof," she told him.

"If I happen to let something slip to my father and he discusses it with your father, I don't see a scenario where we would need proof."

Ellie knew he was right. She turned around to face the handsome blond-haired boy. She might have actually liked him if he wasn't so evil. "What do you want Tim?"

"Nothing, El, nothing at all," Timothy then turned and walked away.

The bell sounded across the grounds indicating that classes had started. Elodie pushed the boy to the back of her mind and ran at full speed toward Hagrid's hut.


	2. Threats

Ellie was happy to be home on the first day of the holiday. She didn't have to worry about Hogwarts or anyone from Hogwarts. Her mother asked her how school was going but one "fine" was enough to get her mother off her case. Elodie spent the days playing with her younger brother and sister and she barely ever got to see. Out of her five years at Hogwarts, she only saw them during vacations.

The second day of vacation when, Ellie was reading in her room someone knocked on the door.

"Come in," she yelled.

Her father, Bach Jennings entered. "Elodie, the Malfoys have invited you, your mother and I to a party at their house this evening. You must be ready in three hours and wear something nice."

Fear seized Ellie. "Father, I feel ill and I think I need you to stay here with me."

"Don't be silly, Elodie. You are coming." With that, her father left his daughter to get ready.

Elodie sat in a chair in the Malfoy's dining room. She hated these parties. The adults sat chatting about frivolous things and the younger people sat listening. It didn't escape Ellie's attention that there were only pureblood families present. The Malfoys, both sides of the family, the Crabbes, the Goyles, the Hendersons and the Jennings.

Halfway through the evening, Mr. Malfoy suggested that the younger people stay in the parlor. Elodie knew it was so the adults could discuss think they'd rather not have their kids hear. So Timothy, Maurice and Thomas Crabbe, Jessica Goyle and a regretful Ellie relocated.

As they entered the new room, Tim held the door. The last in line was Ellie. Before she could enter, Timothy closed the door, leaving the two of them in the hall.

"Come with me Ellie," he said. She had no choice but to follow. Tim stopped when they were in the kitchen, far away from both rooms.

"What is this about, Malfoy?" Ellie hissed.

"Kiss me," Timothy ordered.

"What?" she was taken aback.

"Come on, El, its just one little kiss."

"Tim, I can't. I won't," Ellie shrunk back.

Timothy grabbed a house elf that was scurrying through the kitchen. "Go bring Mr. Jennings."

"No!" Ellie yelled. More quietly she said, "I'll kiss you." Timothy threw the house elf to the ground. Elodie stood on her tiptoes and pecked Timothy.

"That doesn't count, El." She pushed her smoky brown hair out of her face. Then Ellie reached up and pulled Tim's head towards her's. She put her lips on his, kissing him as if he were Liam.

Ellie then stopped. She looked down at the ground. It took all of her self control not to wipe her mouth on her arm. "Are you satisfied?" she asked him nastily.

He just gave her his smug smile, "Very." They headed back to the parlor.

The young adults sat in the parlor, discussing various this from Hogwarts to He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. All of the sudden Mr. Jennings burst into the room. He grabbed Ellie's arm and yanked her out of the chair.

"What were you thinking?" he screamed. His face was red and angry. "Fooling around with some mudblood!" Ellie turned her head to stare at Tim. _How could he?_ she felt like crying.

"Look at me when I'm talking to you!" her father roared.

A frantic Mrs. Jennings came running in. "Stop it, Bach!" The other guests came rushing in too. Ellie could tell her mother was embarrassed beyond comprehension.

"Golda, let me deal with this," Mr. Jennings seethed.

"Bach, we'll discuss this at home," she said firmly. Mrs. Jennings grabbed her husband and let him to the door, Ellie following behind. "Thank you very much for dinner. We're very sorry for the disturbance," Ellie's mom apologized to the Malfoy's. On the ride home, Mr. Jennings said nothing and gripped the steering wheel tightly.

As they entered the house Mr. Jennings started again. "You have disgraced our family."

"Father," Ellie retorted. "I have the right to see whoever I want. Being a pureblood doesn't matter to me. Can't you understand that?"

"No, you are a pureblood and your children will be pureblood too. You aren't ruining this family," her father's voice dropped. "Elodie, I'm not doing this for me. I'm doing it for you Things are uncertain. There might be a time when having mudblood relationships could mean your death. I can't submit you or my future grandchildren to that." He paused. "I thought you could handle Hogwarts but I see now that you can't. I'm going to write a few owls and you will begin your second semester at Durmstrang."

Ellie's blood ran cold. "Father, you can't do that!" She fumbled for some excuse. "I I won't be up to their level."

"Don't worry about it, Elodie," her father finished.

Ellie ran up to her room. She grabbed a quill and piece of parchment and began to write.

_Dear Liam,_

_The worst has happened. My father found out about us. He went into a rage and now I'm to be shipped off to Durmstrang. I don't want to go. I'd give anything to be back in your arms right now. Timothy Malfoy was the one who squealed. Be sure to punch him for me as I will not have the chance_ (Ellie knew he would laugh at this)_. Liam, I still love you. I can't change that. Nothing can change that even thousands of miles. I can understand_ Ellie stopped. _What am I doing?_ She ripped up the letter and threw it in the trash.

Quietly she crept out of her room. It was well past midnight now. Ellie stepped into the living room. She grabbed a handful of floo powder that sat by the fireplace. She stepped into the it threw the powder to the ground, saying Liam's address very clearly. In a matter of seconds, Ellie was standing in the Diggory's fireplace. Ellie had never been in this house before so she had to guess where Liam's room was. She was lucky that the first room she came across was indeed his. Ellie crept to his bedside. She was going to kiss him but remembering why she had come, she just shook him awake.

"El?" he said groggily. "What's going on?"

"I need to tell you something," she whispered.

"Alright," he said, "Just a minute." Liam hopped out of bed and pulled on a shirt. He led his girlfriend down the stairs to the kitchen. Liam turned on the lights and put on some tea. Sitting at the table, Liam asked, "What did you need to tell me so badly that it couldn't wait till morning?"

"Liam, Timothy Malfoy told my father about our errrrr relationship," Ellie said.

Liam looked concerned. "What did he say?"

Ellie took a breath. "He got very upset. He said that I had shamed our family and that I could never marry someone who wasn't a pureblood." She paused, slowly shaking her head. "He told me things were changing and that there might be a time when having a relationship with someone not pureblood could mean my death."

Liam put his hands on hers. "They are just words, El. We can still be together."

Ellie shook her head. "That's not all. I'm not going back to Hogwarts. My father is enrolling me at Durmstrang." Liam felt pain. Pain that was familiar. He had felt this pain when his brother had been murdered. It was the pain of losing someone and Liam couldn't stand to lose Ellie.

Foot steps sounded in the hall but neither Liam nor Ellie heard them. Their senses were blinded by grief. "Liam!" a woman's voice exclaimed. "What are you doing?" The boy looked up at his mother.

"Mum, this is the girl I was telling you and Da about," Liam told her. "Ellie Jennings."

Ellie jumped up from her chair to shake hands with Mrs. Diggory, "Nice to meet you."

Her eyes showed uncertainty and question. "I ...ummm just had to tell Liam something. I'm sorry to have disturbed you. I'll leave now."

"Ellie, my dear, have a seat," Mrs. Diggory said. Just then Amos Diggory appeared in the hallway. "What is going on here?" he asked.

"Sit down, Amos," she told her husband. "I believe Liam and Miss Jennings were just about to tell us." The four of them discussed their problem for awhile. Eventually they moved onto other topics. They talked into the morning.

"Oh dear," Mrs. Diggory looked at her watch, "It's almost 7 a.m." Ellie's eyebrows shot up.

"I really must be going," Ellie said. She hurried to the fireplace. Liam caught her arm and kissed her passionately. It wasn't a make out session but it took Ellie's breath away. It was a kiss she would always remember. Liam's parents looked surprised but Ellie didn't see. The only thing she saw as she stood in the fireplace were Liam's dark brown eyes staring into her own.


	3. Cold Welcome

Ellie's eyes settled over her new living quarters. Crimson flowers dotted the wallpaper to match the crimson rug. The wall hangings and drapes were also colored the dark red. Ellie felt like she was in a sea of blood. Two four poster beds were set in the corners of the room. A large wooden bedside table stood next to it. There was only one bathroom. This room though was totally white. The contrast of brightness almost hurt Ellie's eyes.

"Welcome to Durmstrang," said the girl who was to be Ellie's roommate. It sounded like she had an almost German accent. From the people she had spoken with, it seemed true about most.

"Thank you," Ellie said as she turned to look as the speaker. The girl was tall. She had night black hair and pale, ivory skin. She had a certain kind of beauty, a cold and harsh kind of beauty.

The girl sat on her bed. "My name is Victoria Sonnabend."

"Elodie Jennings, but most people call me Ellie." Ellie put her hand out for a shake. Instead, of taking her hand, Victoria got up from her bed, curtsied, then sat back down.

"So, ummmm....Ellie," Victoria started, "You're from England are you not?"

"Yes, I attended school at Hogwarts," Ellie said politely.

"You mean that wretched school run by that old wizard? What's his name again?"

"Albus Dumbledore," Ellie supplied.

"He isn't dead yet? I thought the Death Eaters would have had him years ago," Victoria sounded unpleasantly surprised.

Ellie then realized how it was going to be at Durmstrang. If this girl whom she had hardly known five minutes basically disclosed that she supported the Death Eaters, Ellie doubted others had problems. She wondered briefly whether the wizard government here punished those who supported the Dark Lord. Ellie doubted it.

"Nope, Professor Dumbledore is as safe and healthy as ever," Ellie shared brightly.

Victoria sighed, "Pity." Ellie was just about to give her roommate a piece of her mind when a bell rang. "It's time to go to the breakfast hall."

The Durmstrang dining hall was just as lavish as the one at Hogwarts. It was smaller, as was the whole castle, because there were less students. There was also only two long tables, one for the teachers.

"You may sit with me," Victoria told Ellie, as if it was a privilege.

Ellie wanted to be as far away from this girl as possible but she didn't know where else she would be welcome. "Thank you."

Victoria sat in near the middle of the table, closer to the head. Ellie sat next to her. "Ellie, this is Danielle Hautfield, Unis Daymond, and Gertrude Weudermein," Victoria said as she pointed at each of the girls around them, "And this," she told the other girls, "Is Elodie Jennings. She came from _Hogwarts_ School in England." Victoria emphasized the school mockingly.

_This girl doesn't have very good people skills,_ Ellie though. Outloud, she said, "Nice to meet you all." Breakfast then appeared on the table. It consisted of porridge, sausage and fruit.

"Not much of a selection," Ellie muttered, used to breakfasts with danishes, bacon, and toast with marmalade.

"Well, here at Durmstrang, we don't eat large breakfasts, they slow you down and make you fat," Unis informed her. Ellie looked down the table. She realized that there were no overly large people in school. _What kind of prison am I in?_ she asked herself.

Breakfast eventually finished. Then classes started. Ellie had her schedule written on a piece of parchment. She found that she was up to most of the students' level and in almost all of her classes. There were only two exceptions. One was the Defense Against the Dark Arts. Ellie found herself advanced in this setting. In Hogwarts, she had been fairly good at the subject but not the best in the class. She found that they were still covering things she had learned in her second and third year. Ellie was moved up to the 7th year class. The only other exception was the Dark Arts. This subject was entirely new to El. Her only knowledge of this subject came from Defense class. Embarrassingly, she was placed in the second year class.

When Ellie told Victoria this, she couldn't believe it. "You don't know how to do any Dark Arts spells?" she asked, unbelieving.

"I know _about_ them," Ellie replied.

"Hogwarts sounds like a top academic school," Victoria said sarcastically.

"Well, at Hogwarts, we try not to encourage people to commit _illegal _acts_," _Ellie spat back, tired of Victoria's harping about Hogwarts. "Although I guess Durmstrang likes to breed criminals."

Victoria's face turned very serious, full of spite. "You better watch your words around here Jennings or you just might end up not being able to speak any." With that, the girl stalked off.


End file.
